WASHINGTON -- In a bizarre exchange during the ninth inning of the Nationals' 5-4 win on Monday, Bryce Harper was ejected by home-plate umpire Brian Knight for yelling from the dugout after Danny Espinosa was called out on strikes.

Harper said he made it into the clubhouse for about two seconds before Clint Robinson's walk-off home run. As the rest of the dugout emptied, Harper rushed out onto the field with his teammates to greet Robinson at home. Before he joined the celebration at home plate, however, he was caught by television cameras shouting an expletive at Knight.

"I was pretty upset," Harper said. "I think I was right to do that. Let him hear what I have to say, let him hear it again, and so what?"

Harper on ejection, win

DET@WSH: Harper on his ejection, walk-off win

Bryce Harper discusses his ejection in the ninth inning by home-plate umpire Brian Knight and the Nationals' walk-off win over the Tigers

What about the potential of getting fined for his actions?

"I'll pay it," Harper said. "Maybe he'll get fined, too."

Sanchez strikes out Harper

DET@WSH: Sanchez strikes out Harper in the 4th

Anibal Sanchez strikes out Bryce Harper looking in the bottom of the 4th inning

Knight told manager Dusty Baker that he had warned Harper earlier in the game for arguing about the strike zone. Even though a number of players in the Nationals' dugout appeared to be arguing in the ninth, Knight signaled toward Harper and handed him his seventh career ejection.

"It's an emotional game. He's an emotional young man, like most of us on the field out there," Baker said. "You certainly don't like him to get tossed, but every once in a while, you got to blow off some steam or else you go crazy."

Jamal Collier covers the Nationals for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jamalcollier. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.